1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a system that provides an application program for processing data on the same media as the data to be processed and, more particularly, to a system that provides the application program and data on a media and linked in such a way that the application program can only be used with the data provided therewith and where the application program is an image processing program that performs image modification as well as other functions and the data comprises images that can be personal images of the user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many conventional means exist to transform analog images into digital files representative of those images. Additionally, when these images are converted to digital files, there are many storage means on which these image files can be stored. Among these are floppy magnetic disks, hard magnetic disk drives, optical ROM disks such as CD's, optical/magnetic read/write disks, and digital tape. In situations where images, such as personal images, are digitized by a service provider, such as a local photo shop or film processing company, the user or customer of the service can deliver images to the provider, and will receive the image files on one of the previously mentioned storage means. The Photo CD.TM. system is an example of one such conventional image delivery system. In addition to using a service to provide the images or place personal images on the storage media, the customer may also purchase software programs or applications which will operate on these images. These applications allow the customer to access, view, modify, and/or print the image files as desired. Adobe Photoshop.TM. is an example of such a conventional application. FIG. 1 illustrates this situation where the application is provided on one storage means, such as disk 10, and the images are provided on another storage means, such as another disk 12. Since the application and image file are used together to provide the desired result, there may be an advantage in providing both on the same storage and delivery means such as the disk 14 illustrated in FIG. 2. Seattle Film Works (SFW) provides a magnetic disk with both personal images and an application stored thereon called PhotoWorks.TM.. The application allows photographic images or pictures stored on the disk to be viewed using a typical home computer. However, as illustrated in FIG. 3, this type system allows the computer 18, and the application running thereon, to not only accept the images on the source medium 20 but will allow the images to be provided on any other medium 22. This allows a situation, such as illustrated in FIG. 4, to exist where the computer 18 will not only accept a storage medium 14 including the application and the images but also images from other media 24. Further, due to the expense or cost of most applications which allow image viewing, modification and printing, it is not practically feasible to deliver such applications along with the image files created for personal use of a particular customer. Applications such as Photoshop.TM. are delivered to customers with sample image files, but these same files are not the personal property of the customer, and the same image files are delivered to many purchasers of the application. As a result, the supplier which supplies both applications and images is confronted with deciding to provide applications that are very costly and that can be used with any image, supplying only images or supplying both the application and the images. Typical consumers do not want to pay for the expensive full featured versions of the applications but would like to use some of the features of such applications particularly on their personal images that are being provided on the media.
What is needed is a system including a media for delivering images and an application that can operates on those images such that the application will only operate with the images provided on the media, thereby providing the consumer with the application limited to the needs of the user and at low cost.